Wall and ceiling protector and ventilator



NOV. 3, 1953 so -r 2,657,626

WALL AND CEILING PROTECTOR AND VENTILATOR Filed July 2. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FRA/vc/s R JO/VNTAG mmvroza.

A TTORNE Y Nov. 3, 1953 F. R. SONNTAG 2,657,626

WALL AND CEILING PROTECTOR AND VENTILATOR Filed July 2. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT *OF'FICE WALL CEILING PROTECTOR AND VENTILATOR Francis R. Sonntag, Dallas, Tex.

Application July 2, 1951, Serial N0. 234,689

5-.Claims. 1 I This invention relates to ventilators and particularly to a combined ventilator and wall protector adapted for use in conjunction with cooking stoves.

"The principal object of the invention isto supplant various types of ventilating hoods for cool:- ing stoves where such -hoods are too bulky to be practical for use in the small kitchens and to obviate certain disadvantages found to exist in the conventional ventilating hoods such as the difiiculty encountered in cleaning inaccessible areas Within the hood and the fact that such hoods or stove canopies collect only the smoke and vapors originating at the stove over which it is disposed,

leaving smoky vapors originating from other sources to accumulate above the hood.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of kitchen ventilator consisting of a fan or blower for creating a force or draft upwardly through an opening made in the ceiling and a cylindrical housing for the fan iorconfining the air influenced by the latter, the housing containing draft actuated and spring biased plates adapted to close the mounting during periods when the fan is inoperative. Moreover, the ventilating means includes an annular trough designed to collect grease accumulating on the inner wall surfaces of the cylindrical fan housing and which is equipped with inc-lined troughs for directing the grease to a readily detachable cup situated centrally of but at a lower level than the annular trough.

- Broadly, the invention seeks to provides. wall protecting panel adapted to 'be situated above and rearwardl-y of the cook-ing stove and a ceiling protective panel suitably joined to the top 01. the first panel and provided with a suction fan or blower adapted to carry off smoke and vapors originating at any point in the kitchen rising to the ceiling, suitable provision being made for the adjustment of each of the panels to accommodate stoves or mounting areas of varying widths. The ceiling panel is devoid of any projection likely to entrap smoke or fumes or to prosuch gases from passing freely-to the intake opening of the suction fan situated in the ceilingpanel.

With the foregoing objects in View, the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as description proceeds, taken'in connection with thextaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure I is a front perspective view of a ventilator and wallprotector constrx-icted accordin to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the ventilating fan and housing in vertical section.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the ventilating fan taken on line '33 of Figurez.

Figure 4 1s a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a front elevational View of the ventilator and wall protector, partly broken away.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view thereof, with a portion broken away. I

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line l--"! of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional "view on a slightly larger scale, taken on line '8-8 of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a bottom plan View of the ceilin protecting portion of thedevice.

Figure 10 is a sectional view on a larger scale taken on line Ill-[ 0 of Figure'Q.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the mounting bracket for the wall and ceiling protecting sections of the device, and,

Figure 12 is a fragmentary perspective 'view of the ceiling-protector supporting frame.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing reference numerals l0 and H denote vertical, parallel wall panels, each of which provided on it upper end (Fig. 8') with a return flange 12, said return flange being coextensive with the width of the panel and adapted to" interlock with an upturned flange t3 formed on the lower edge of a transverse metal strip [4, the latter constituting a part of a bracket t5, one of which is provided for each of the wall panels [0 and II.

The brackets l5 are axially aligned, with their inner end-s spaced apart, as shown in Figure 9, to determine the relative spacing of the wall panels 15- and ll suspended therefrom. Ailixed to and extending across the brackets is a metal cover plate F6 on whose upper edge is formed a return flange to define a channel 11' adapted to receive the inner ends of the outer panels I8 and is of the ceiling protecting section as well as the inner end of the intermediate ceiling panel 21!. 'Ihebrackets H 5 are each secured to the ceiland wall by means of nails or screws driven through apertures 22 provided in the brackets as showninl igure 11.

It sometimes happens that kitchen appointments prohibit mounting of the ceiling protecting section of the invention in a position where the ventilating unit can be centrally located with respect to the ceiling protector and yet avoid cutting a ceiling joist. To prevent the necessity of cutting into a Ceiling joist to accommodate the flue of the ventilator, the intermediate ceiling panel 20 is made originally of such size that it can be cut on the job so that the housing 23 can be exposed 01f center and thus extend through the ceiling and alongside a ceiling joist. To fill in the space not occupied by the intermediate panel 29, there is provided a fourth ceiling panel 24 which extends between the outer ceiling panels l8 and 19, as shown in Figures 1 and 9.

In installing the wall and ceiling protectors, the mounting brackets iii are disposed in end to end relationship and spaced apart according to the width of the area which the protector is to occupy on the wali and ceiling. The brackets are then secured by nails or screws passed through the apertures 22 on the brackets. The flanges 12 along the upper ends of the side panels ii} and l! are then interengaged with the upturned flanges IS on the lower edges of the brackets i5. Strips oi trim 25 are secured by means of nails or screws 26 to the wall in vertical position immediately below the outer ends of each of the brackets 55. The panels iii and l l are then moved outwardly so that their outer edges will be received frictionally by the trim 25. This will leave a space between the inner edges of the panels It and il which is concealed by a vertical center panel or trim l, in the manner shown in Figure '7.

The ceiling protector is assembled on the floor preliminary to mounting in the position shown in the several figures of the drawing. The panels l8, l9 and 2d are cut to correspond with the area to be covered on the ceiling and after first having determined the position of the ceiling joists and after all of the ceiling panels have been prepared, they are connected together by means of the strips of trim 28, which is formed with grooves for the reception of the edges of these panels. After assembling the ceiling panels, a retaining frame 2% is secured to the ceiling by mean of nails or screws 3c and the panel assembly is disposed within the confines of this frame so that the rear edges of panels [8, l9 and 29 will be received within the channel ll formed along the upper edges of each of the brackets i5, as previously set forth. The grooves of the trim 28 are sufficiently deep as to permit limited lateral sliding displacement of the outer ceiling panels 15 and [9 so that the outer edges of these panels may be received under the upturned edges ti on the underside of the ceiling protector frame 29.

The ceiling protector supporting frame 22 may be in sections, as shown in Figure 9 and in detail in Figure 12. By so doing, the frame can be expanded or contracted by virtue of telescopically related sections 32 and 33 which have matching apertures 34, adapted to receive crews connecting the sections together in fixed relationship. Certain of the sections may have corner portions 35, provided with webs 35 in which are apertures 37 to receive nails or screws for securing the supporting frame to the ceiling.

After the ceiling protector has been mounted, the supporting frame 29 is embraced by a strip of trim 33 which is secured in position by screws 39.

Referring now to the ventilating unit, Figure 2 shows a fan Gil, mounted on the vertical armature shaft of a motor 4!. The motor 41 is secured concentrically in the cylindrical housing 23 by means of brackets 42. Extending diametrically across the housing as at its top is a rail 43. A pair of semi-circular shutters 44 have their straight edges hinged at 45 to the sides of the rail :33 and are adapted to be forced upwardly to open position by pressure of air influenced upwardly through the housing 23 by a fan 49 against the resistance of a torsion spring 46. Therefore, the shutters st remain closed during periods when the fan 30 is not operating. The edge of each shutter 64 rests on projections 44a in the wall of the housing 23, so that the bare edge comes in contact with the projections. The edges of the shutters are spaced inwardly from the walls of the housing 23 which leaves a small space between the shutters and wall. The purpose of this is to allow any grease which might have accumulated in the upper portion of the shell to drain to the lower portion when the fan is not in operation and to prevent the shutters M from sticking to the seat by cold grease. It has been found to improve the function of the fan as to augment the cylindrical housing 23 by a short section of pipe 4'5, as shown in Figure 2, and to this section of pipe is applied the fiue, not shown, which carries on smoke and cooking odors from a building.

Secured by means of screws 8 to the ceiling panel 29 below the fan housing 23 is an annular member 352, formed into a trough 5i]. Communicating with the trough at circumferentially spaced points is a series of radial troughs 5|. These radial trough 5i are inclined and at their lower ends is provided an integral annular member 52 having a central opening 53 with which communicates a grease receptacle 54 into which grease collecting on the inner wall surfaces of the housing 23 flows by gravity into the trough 52 and radial troughs 5!. The cup or receptacle 5% is secured in position by means of a series of keyhole slots 55 (Fig. 3) provided in a flange 56 on the cup and which are adapted to receive pins 5? depending from the annular member 52. The cup may be released by simply rotating the fan until the heads of the pins 51 are aligned with the enlarged portions of the slots 55.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wall and ceiling protector and ventilator comprising a pair of mounting brackets, each having an upturned flange along its lower edge and provided along its upper edge with a horizontal channel, a wall panel having a downwardly turned flange along its upper edge interengaged with the flange on the lower edge of each of said mounting brackets, a plurality of juxtapositioned ceiling panels having their inner edges dlsposed in the channels of said mounting brackets, means embracing the outer edge of said wall panels to secure the same to a wall, a center panel concealing the inner edges of said wall panels, a supporting frame embracing the outer edges of said ceiling panels and holding the same in fixed relation to a ceiling, and a ventilating fan in one of said ceiling panels.

2. In a wall and ceiling protector and ventilator, a pair of mounting brackets, a wall panel suspended from each of said mounting brackets, means securing the outer edges of said wall panels to a wall, a plurality of ceiling panels, one of which has an opening therein, means on said mounting brackets for receiving and retaining the inner edge of said ceiling panels, a supporting frame for said ceiling panels adapted to engage and retain the outer edges of said ceiling panels in relation to a ceiling, and means disposed in the opening in said one of said ceiling panels for forcibly removing smoke and vapors accumulating under said ceiling protector.

3. In a wall and ceiling protector and ventilator, a plurality of wall and ceiling panels, bracket means for supporting the upper ends of said wall panels and the inner ends of said ceiling panels in juxtaposition, a supporting frame for the outer edges of said ceiling panels, and for holding said ceiling panels directly against the ceiling, means holding the outer edges of said wall panels for limited lateral displacement, towards and away from each other for adjusting the effective width of said wall protector, a central panel concealing the space between said wall panels, an openin in one of said ceiling panels and means in said opening for influencing air upwardly therethrough.

4. In a ceiling ventilator, a ceiling panel having an opening therein, an annular trough embracing said opening having circumferentially spaced and radially arranged drainage troughs communicating therewith for conveying grease collecting in said annular trough to a common point, a receptacle removably communicating with the inner ends of said drainage troughs for receiving said grease, and ventilating means op erating in said opening for influencing air upwardly therethrough.

5. A ceiling ventilator comprising a cylindrical housing, a fan mounted in said housing for influencing air therethrough, a motor for operating said fan, a rail extending diametrically across the upper end of said housing, a pair of semi-circular shutters hinged to said rail, spring means normally holding said shutters in a position to close said housing but yielding to pressure of air influenced through said housing by said fan, an annular grease collecting trough below said housing, a pair of radial drainage troughs communicating with said annular trough and directed inwardly and downwardly and means at the inner end of said drainage trough for receiving grease flowing by gravity from the inner wall surfaces of said housing, into said annular trough and downwardly through said radial troughs.

FRANCIS R. SONNTAG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,910,584 Ajemian May 23, 1933 2,243,491 Whitenack May 27, 1941 2,341,245 Sonntag Feb. 8, 1944 2,487,607 S'onntag Nov. 8, 1949 2,542,265 Staples Feb. 20, 1951 

